d20 Dataset Project....

[ShadowChemosh]

So I have a little more time so I would like to get back to this again. We have several things to do to get an easier to use data set for d20. Here is what I am thinking.

1. The first thing is to decide what books should be in the core 3.5 data set. Maybe easier to work with what books should be removed. I am thinking the dragonlance stuff and anything that is for Lawful_g's home games. I saw at least one file that was for houserules. Need to ask Lawful_g if you kept everything in that one file or did you spread things around? Anyone else see any other books that should be removed?
2. We need to tag the last of the books with a Source type so that the player can decided what books are allowed to be used per character. In example the Races of the Wild things are not Source marked. Risner you said you would be able to do this? Is it coming along or do you need help?
3. We need to change all the custom .dat files into .user files so that we will have an easier time creating the export file. I talked to Colen at HL and he said they maybe able to do a modification to the Export Tool that will auto-select all the .user files in a future update. So if we change the .dat files to .user it will become very easy to create the export files. Right now its a little confusing.
4. Will need a new folder on Cheifweasel's web server to hold the .xml file that will be used for the Secondary Update URL feature. Or where ever you want to store it. Assuming you want that on your server as you will also need to a have a single place to put the export files also. Otherwise I can actually host this if you want instead off of my web server.
5. Create at least one stable Export File(.hl) that imports all the .user files into someones d20 data folder. Preferably having it show up inside HL's download list so it can be auto-downloaded and installed.

Anyone have any other things to add to the list?

Also anyone have any ideas how to keep the .user files in sync with different people making changes to it? I am thinking it may need a central person to take all the changes and incorporate them into a single location. I know I have seen a few things that I would like to improve upon or make changes to and wouldn't want it to get over written with the wrong version of the same file.

Lawful_G it looks like you change the name of files when you change them giving them a new date? This seems that it could and does cause issues as the files won't be overwritten then when doing an import. Even when manually dropping them into the d20 folder it leaves duplications of the same Things then. So was wondering if using the version info built into the editor now would be easier instead of changing the file name?

Anyone have any other ideas or thoughts to share?

[chiefweasel]

for #3, I can change the file names to end in .user instead of .dat.

for #4, I can create a new folder on the website. What xml files would go in there?

I also think one person needs to be a focal point for source documents. A versioning system might help as well, that way we will know what the latest files are. There should also be a test team. and all changes for our sites go through them and get approved by them first. that way is any errors exist they will be spotted and can be corrected before the files go on to the user community.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by chiefweasel

for #4, I can create a new folder on the website. What xml files would go in there?

It is actually just one file and it is what will let Hero Lab know where the import files are located when using the Secondary Update URL(Settings->Basic Settings->Specify Secondary Updates URL....) This easy to use feature built into HL will cause a new Download option to appear from within HL. So that the .hl file gets auto downloaded and installed.

Here is an example of the xml file would look like:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<document signature="Lone Wolf Updates" version="1">
<update
    name="d20 Community 10/4/2010"
    date="2010/10/04:1319"
    size="900"
    description="First release of Lawful_g's awesome d20 data set" uniqueid="0" filetype="3"
download="http://www.cheeseweasel.net/herolab/d20_20101004.hl"
    website="http://www.cheeseweasel.net/"
    companyurl="http://www.cheeseweasel.net/"
    priority="99" major="1" minor="0" patch="1" 
    folder="Pathfinder" special="" dynamic=""    
    />
</document>

So the Name/Description line is what a person would see form within HL. The download tag tells HL where to try and download the .hl file from. The website link tell HL where to open the web browser to if the user wants to download the file manually instead. The companyurl tells HL where to open a web browser to if the user asks to view company info.

I also think one person needs to be a focal point for source documents. A versioning system might help as well, that way we will know what the latest files are. There should also be a test team. and all changes for our sites go through them and get approved by them first. that way is any errors exist they will be spotted and can be corrected before the files go on to the user community.

I agree with this of course. Having some type of QA involved would be really nice. Two people said yes before in the Pathfinder forums. Will need to ask them if they want to help with this also. To do testing they would just need to run d20 in demo mode as the editor still works and one can get stuff to compile. They really don't care that they can't print or save characters for this.

Be good if they are interested to get them in on the ground floor.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

Also anyone have any ideas how to keep the .user files in sync with different people making changes to it?

Something else I was looking at is a free piece of software from https://www.dropbox.com/

It allows the auto-syncing of documents between computers and allows for a shared folder to multiple people to collaborate on a project. If nothing else me and Cheifweasel may want to use this as it would allow an easier method of maybe syncing files across our two sites.

Just something else to think about and free for 2gigs is pretty nice.

[chiefweasel]

I have a few folks who wanted to test the files as well, maybe we can have them combine the files as they are tested.

[ShadowChemosh]

Great bring them on. Help is always welcome.

So I spent sometime last night going over the d20 files. I think I have everything changed over to .user instead of .dat. Though I tried to remove extra files and have just the 3.5 books. Yea that is not going to happen. The stuff is SO interconnected including referencing 3.0 items, classes, and lots of references to Dragonlance stuff.

I mean it could be done but it would be a major change to many scripts and probably not worth the effort. So the idea of having one 3.0, 3.5, and dragonlance data set is pretty much out the window for now. I also found that Lawful_g started to implement some of the same stuff one sees in the pathfinder files. Like he wrote his own Darkvision that was not 60ft hard coded and instead is Tag or script set. Exactly like what Pathfinder data set uses. That is really a big help to anyone creating d20 stuff.

Our best bet for now is to simply have everything source marked to the right book so that player can pick. But we will have to leave everything together including 3.0, 3.5 and dragonlance. What I will probably do is add new Source Headers so that at least it will be easier break down by 3.0, 3.5, and dragonlance. So this way all the 3.5 book Sources will be listed under the 3.5 Header and so on.

Still this will be a good amount of work......

The last thing is reading some of Lawful_g's comments he has in the scripts and files made me laugh several times last night.

[chiefweasel]

Soundfs good, shoot me a copy of the d20 files when you have them ready to go.

[Lawful_g]

The darkvision thing was a pain because I had to make a replacement copy of every race in the core files that has darkvision.

Shoot me a copy as well.

Also, always happy to amuse folks. I was originally inspired by Lone Wolf's zombie script to set Con to 0 "because we are undead, and above that sort of petty nonsense."

[ShadowChemosh]

Yep don't worry everyone will get a copy. Speaking of copies are you still changing stuff while I am doing this Lawful_g? I guess I had assumed that it would stay in a frozen state. If you are changing stuff can you keep track of each change so I can sync them back into these files. Or would you rather wait until I finish and then you can make the changes directly and we can simply release a new version?

Also another question. At the end of the files you have a what appears to be a date with either a C or U. What does that mean? I am changing all those files to remove that and I am putting that info into the File History section of the XML now.

As people will want to put in new versions of this data set we can't have the files names changing. Otherwise they won't overwrite the existing file and instead the person would have duplicates of the same thing. So if they use the same name the new version will simply overlay the old file.

Otherwise its going along pretty well actually. I am down to the CUSTOM files last night. So I have the file names changed, the file history updated, and making sure everything is SOURCE marked. Plus I added the three new Source Options(3.5 D&D, 3.0 D&D, and Dragonlance Setting).

Last question which is sort of for everyone. What system of version ID is easier? In example should we use the Date we release as the Version Number or better to call this v1.0 and go from their. Thoughts?

[bodrin]

I'd prefer the version 1.0 moniker tagged onto the HL import file. Then it's easier to maintain and update the core program.

Once you've tagged the sources correctly Shadow any chance of sending me the updated files please. I'm still missing sources on a few of the custom data. Thanks.